A Patient Management System Using an Edge Computing-Based IoT Pulse Oximeter

Edge computing can provide core functions such as data collection and analysis without connecting to a centralized server. The convergence of edge computing and IoT devices has enabled medical institutions to collect patient data in real time, improving the efficiency of short- and long-term patient management. Medical equipment measures a large amount of biosignal data for analyzing diseases and patient health conditions. However, analyzing and monitoring biosignal data using a centralized server or cloud limit the medical institutions’ ability to analyze patients’ conditions in real time, preventing prompt treatment. Therefore, edge computing can enhance the efficiency of patient biosignal data collection and analysis for patient management systems. Analyzing biosignals using edge computing can eliminate the wait time present in cloud computing. Hence, this study aims to develop an IoT pulse oximeter using edge computing for medical institutions and proposes an architecture for providing a real-time monitoring service. The proposed system utilizes five types of raw (IR AC, IR DC, red AC, red DC, AMB), pulse, and SpO2 data measured using IoT pulse oximeters. Edge nodes are installed in every hospital ward to collect, analyze, and monitor patient biosignal data through a wireless network. The collected biosignal data are transmitted to the cloud for managing and monitoring the data of all patients. This system enables medical institutions to collect and analyze raw biosignal data in real time, by which an integrated management system can be established by connecting various types of IoT-based medical equipment.